Stocking Stuffers for the AROTC Cadet

...you will probably find there are a few things you want that you aren't issued. (Black Ducktape, ranger beads, knee pads if you're in the cold weather.)

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As a mom, I had an A-ha! Stocking stuffers. What else could my son use?

And, if you have time, please educate me on the purpose of the items. For example, I have no idea why a cadet would want black duct tape, but I'll get some. And, what are ranger beads? Lastly, how do knee pads help in cold weather??

ranger beads are a set of small plastic beads on a string. the cadets use the beads to keep track of their pace count when they are doing land navigations. They usually move a bead after every 100 meters of distance. Not essential, but worth "cool points" to have a set hanging off your Load Bearing Vest (LBV).

We issue elbow and knee pads to our cadets. When you halt while moving in the woods it's practice to take a knee or get in the prone position. If the ground is wet, you quickly end up with wet pants, which tend to make you cold in cold weather. wouldn't recomment buying knee pads for your cadet though.

Duct tape is used for many things, from securing the ends of the straps on your ruck and LBV, to providing a place to mark your canteen and other equipment, since we don't write our name directly on the issued equipment.

Here are some other ideas:

a good headlamp or flashlight
a good pair of socks (Thorlos) Army issue socks are OK, but there are better.
a boys scout compass (Silva) Not a big fan of the Army issue lensatic compass
Box of zip lock baggies (to keep things dry when out in the weather)

Here are three stores that carry the stuff Cadets love to spend that stipend check on. Bradleys is the store outside of Drum, and the owner, Bill McKinney is an alum of the Golden Knight Battalion, and a supporter of what we do at Clarkson.

And, if you have time, please educate me on the purpose of the items. For example, I have no idea why a cadet would want black duct tape, but I'll get some. And, what are ranger beads? Lastly, how do knee pads help in cold weather??

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Ranger beads are super helpful for land navigation. Like clarkson said, you use them to keep track of how far you've gone. Not necessary, but helpful.
Duct Tape(Black or Dark Green)(OD green tape (100 mph tape)) is just useful because it's duct tape. On your ruck(backpack) and LBE there are always things that need to be taped down.

I like scout's suggestion of a folding knife. I need to get one.

Knee pads help because when you're kneeling in the snow/cold, you're body doesn't actually have contact with the ground. We haven't been issued them yet, but if clarkson issues them, we might get them later on. Might hold off on them.

I'm not in ROTC, but since I'm a cadet in Civil Air Patrol, the USAF Auxiliary, I can probably help you decipher the hidden meaning of some of these items.

Black duct tape-probably the first thing I put in my 72 hour survival equipment, this can be used to fix just about anything. Busted boot? Done that before, and yes, it does work. Ponco, tent, uniform ripped? Duct tape can fix that. Need to make a natural shelter? Duct tape can help hold the wood together. The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. This is a VITAL supply.

Ranger beads-These are used for navigation. When you move 100 meters with a pace count, you slide one bead up, thereby keeping your tally. When you hit 1,000, you advance a different color bead to mark that. It takes a lot of the memory work out of navigation